Closure operator



Feb. 5, 1963 R. -r. CORNELIUS 3,

CLOSURE OPERATOR Filed July 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR IRICHARDICORNELIUS ATTORNEYS Feb. 5, 1963 R T. coRNEuus 3,076,576

CLOSURE OPERATOR Filed July 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4| g 1 x 42 FIG. 4

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Z l' .6 l IO INVENTOR RICHARD T. CORNELIUS ATTORNEYS nite rates Patent-3,076,576 CLOSURE OPERATUR Richard T. Cornelius, Minneapoiis, Minn,assignor to The Cornelius Company, Minneapolis, MiilIL, a corporation ofMinnesota Fiied July 17, 1959, Ser. No. 827,833 Claims. (Cl. 220-45) 7marginal portion of the can at said opening.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a closureoperator constructed entirely of resilient wire.

A feature of the invention resides in providing a closure operatorhaving an elongated handle with arms extending normally outwardly fromone end of said handle and in opposite directions and providing pivotmeans carried by the cover for engaging said arms near said handle.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing camscarried by the outer ends of said arms and engageable with the outersurface of the marginal portion of the top of the can adjacent saidopening and movable in a direction urging the cover into closingposition.

Another object of the invention resides in constructing the cams withplastic shoes engaging the can and serving to reduce the frictionbetween the cams and the top of the can.

A still further object of the invention resides in arranging the armsnormally in a plane and forming an obtuse angle with one another and inconstructing the angle such that the arms become substantially inalignment when the closure is in closing position.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination andarrangement or parts and in the details of construction hereinafterillustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a can illustrating an embodiment ofthe invention applied thereto.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elev-ational sectional view taken on line 4-4 ofFIG. 2 and drawn to a greater scale.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 4with the gasket blown out and drawn to the same scale as FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view taken on line 6-6 ofFIG. 5.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, an ordinary can 10 hasbeen shown having a body 11 cylindrical in form and provided with a top12 and a bottom 13 secured thereto. Both the top 12 and the bottom 13are dome-shaped in form to resist pressure applied to the interior ofthe can. A base 28 is secured to the bottom 13. Two fittings 14 and 15are attached to the top 12, the fitting 14 having a tube 16 connected tothe same and leading to the bottom of the can and the fitting 15 beingin communication with the upper portion of the can. Both fittings 14 and15 may, if desired, be of the self-closing type which become opened whena connector of suitable construction is applied to the same and whichautomatically close when the connector is removed.

The top 12 of the can is provided with a planiform portion 21 having anelliptical shaped opening 17 in the ice same, said opening being longerthan its width and which is surrounded by a rim 18. This rim extendsabove the planiform portion 21 of the cover and has a groove 19 formedin the underside of the same arcuate in cross section and facinginwardly into the can. The cover 12 is further provided with a handle 26and by means of which the entire can may be carried about.

For closing the opening 17, a cover 24 is employed, which is ellipticalin shape to conform to the shape of the opening 17 and which has adepending skirt 22 extending about the same. This skirt is freelyreceived in the open ing 17. The lower end of this skirt is formed withan outwardly extending flange 23 which has a groove 24 extending aboutthe same which is arcuate in cross section. This groove faces the groove19 and provides a space therebetween in which is recieved an O-ring 25.The depth of the cover 20 is considerably less than the width of theopening 17 so that the cover may be inserted endwise through saidopening along the plane containing the major axis of the same andbrought into the interior of the receptacle. Upon rotating the coverafter the same is within the receptacle, the cover maybe moved intoregister with said opening and the O-ring 25 which is normally mountedon the cover brought into engagement with the rim 18 of top 12 at thegroove 19.

For clamping the cover 29 in position, a closure operator 30 isemployed, which is constructed from resilient wire and which is bestshown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. This operator comprises an elongated handle31 U-shaped in form and having spaced legs 32 and 33 connected togetherby means of a looped connecting portion 34. The outer ends of said legshave issuing outwardly therefrom arms 35 and 36 which are disposed incoplanar relation and normally form with each other an obtuse angle asbest shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The top of the cover 20 has attached to ita U-sh-aped bracket 37 providing two bearings 38 and 39 for the arms 36and which are closely positioned to the legs 32 and 33 of handle 26. Theends of the arms 35 and 36 have formed on them fingers 41 and 42 whichextend angularly therefrom and terminate in curved cams 43 and 44.Sleeves 45, constructed of nylon or some other similar plastic material,encircle the earns 43 and 44 and serve as shoes for engagement with theplauiform portion 21 of top 12. The fingers 41 and 42 are of such alength and the cams 43 and 44 are of such shape that the shoes 45 clearthe planiform portion 21 of the top 12 when the cover 31 is in position.

The method of using the invention is as follows: The liquid containedwithin the can may be inserted through the opening 17 before theapplication of the cover 21 thereto. After the required amount of liquidhas been inserted, the cover is grasped by the handle 31 and the coverinserted endwise into the opening 17 and brought into the interior ofthe can. The cover is then rotated and with the handle still disposedoutwardly of the can the cams 4-3 and 44 are brought over the planiformportion 21 of the top 12. The arrangement of the parts when in suchposition is shown in full lines in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Thereafter, thehandle 31 may be swung downwardly to the dotted position shown in FIGS.1, 2 and 3 causing the shoes 45, forming part of the earns 43 and 44, toslide along the surface of the planiform portion 21 of top 12. Duringsuch movement, the arms 35 and 36 are sprung until the same aresubstantially in alignment as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2. Thisdraws the cover upwardly and compresses the O-ring 25 between the rim 13and the flange 23 causing the ring to lie within the grooves 19 and 24-and to firmly engage said rim and flange. The shoes 45 on the cams 43and 44 cause the cams to slide freely along the surface of the planiformportion 21 and prevent scoring of the parts while the closure operatoris being operated. After the cover has spiders been applied, air orother gas under pressure is introduced into the can through the fitting15 which is removed after the pressure reaches the desired value. Byattaching a suitable conduit to the fitting 14, the liquid may bedispensed as required.

The O-ring 25 is also used as a safety device for relieving the pressurein the tank when the pressure becomes too great. For this purpose theskirt 22 is made considerably smaller in dimensions than the opening 17to leave a groove 27 therebetween. When the pressure becomes excessive,a portion 46 of the O-ring 25 in the form of a loop blows out throughthe groove 27 relieving pressure in the can.

The advantages of the invention are manifest. The construction isextremely simple and readily lends itself to cleaning. The operator isconstructed entirely of wire and can be formed at a nominal expense. Theoperator serves both as a handle for manipulating the cover and forclamping the cover in position.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to beprotected by Letters Patent is:

1. A closure operator for moving outwardly into closing position theinternal cover of a can havin a top formed with an elongated openingtherein, and through which the cover is insertable into the interior ofthe can, said closure operator being constructed of resilient materialand comprising an elongated handle, arms extending normally outwardlyfrom one end of said handle and in opposite directions and in angularrelationship relative to one another, pivot means carried by said coverand engaging said arms near said handle, cams carried by said arms atthe outer free ends thereof and engageable with the top or" the can,each of said cams causing the outer end of the arm by which it iscarried to move into alignment with the other arm to force said coveroutwardly and to urge it into closing position.

2. A closure operator for moving outwardly into closing position theinternal cover of a can having a top formed with an elongated openingtherein, and through which the cover is insertable into the interior ofthe can, said closure operator being constructed of resilient wirehaving an elongated U-shaped handle with spaced legs and a connectingportion between said legs at one end of each thereof, arms issuingoutwardly from said legs at the other ends thereof and disposed incoplanar relation and normally forming with each other an obtuse angle,bearings for said arms carried by said cover and engaging said arms nearsaid handle, cams carried by said arms at the outer ends thereof andengageable with the top of the can, each of said cams causing the outerend of the arm by which it is carried to move into alignment with theother arm and said bearings accommodating such movement to create torquein said legs causing said cams to yieldingly engage the top of the canto force said cover outwardly and to urge it into closing position.

3. A closure operator for moving outwardly into closing position theinternal cover of a can having a top formed with an elongated openingtherein and through which the cover is insertable into the interior ofthe can, said closure operator being constructed of resilient wirehaving an elongated handle, arms extending normally outwardly from oneend of said handle and in opposite directions, and forming an angle withone another, pivot means carried by said cover and engaging said armsnear said handle, earns carried by said arms at the outer ends thereofand spaced from said pivot means, said cams being engageable with thetop of the can, and causing the arms to move in a manner to alter theangle therehetween to force the cover in an outward direction, andresilient means resisting such movement.

4. A closure operator for moving outwardly into closing position theinternal cover of a can having a top formed with an elongated openingtherein and through which the cover is insertable into the interior ofthe can, said closure operator comprising two juxtaposed elongatedresilient rods extending generally in the same direction, means rigidlyconnecting said rods together at their outer ends thereof, armsextending angularly outwardly from the inner ends thereof and inopposite directions, portions of said arms at the locality of issuancethereof from said rods serving as journals, bearings therefor carried bysaid cover and journaliing each of said arms for rotating movement aboutthe axis thereof and for swinging movement about the axis of the rodfrom which it issues, said rods lying between said bearings, cams on theouter ends of said arms and disposed outwardly of said bearings andspaced therefrom, said cams engaging parts fixed relative to said can tovary the angularity between the axes of said arms when the cams areurged into engagement with said can to create torque in said rods toyieldingly urge the cover into closing position.

5. A closure operator for moving outwardly into closing position theinternal cover of a can having a top formed wtih an elongated openingtherein and through which the cover is insertable into the interior ofthe can, said closure operator comprising an elongated slender resilientrod serving as a handle, an arm extending angularly outwardly from theinner end thereof, said arm at the locality of issuance from said rodserving as a journal, pivot means carried by said cover and journallingsaid journal for rotation about the axis of said arm and said arm formovement about the axis of said resilient slender rod, a cam on theouter end of said rod and engaging said can and means engaging the outerend of said rod and said can and resisting rotation of said rod to setup therein a torque yieldingly urging said cover into closing positionwhen the cam is moved along the can.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS885,424 Bell Apr. 21, 1908 2,515,568 Pharo luly 18, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS541,861 Belgium Oct. 31, 1955 186,572 Austria Aug. 25, 1956

1. A CLOSURE OPERATOR FOR MOVING OUTWARDLY INTO CLOSING POSITION THEINTERNAL COVER OF A CAN HAVING A TOP FORMED WITH AN ELONGATED OPENINGTHEREIN, AND THROUGH WHICH THE COVER IS INSERTABLE INTO THE INFERIOR OFTHE CAN, SAID CLOSURE OPERATOR BEING CONSTRUCTED OF RESILIENT MATERIALAND COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HANDLE, ARMS EXTENDING NORMALLY OUTWARDLYFROM ONE END OF SAID HANDLE AND IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AND IN ANGULARRELATIONSHIP RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER, PIVOT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID COVERAND ENGAGING SAID ARMS NEAR SAID HANDLE, CAMS CARRIED BY SAID ARMS ATTHE OUTER FREE ENDS THEREOF AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TOP OF THE CAN, EACHOF SAID CAMS CAUSING THE OUTER END OF THE ARM BY WHICH IT IS CARRIED TOMOVE INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THE OTHER ARM TO FORCE SAID COVER OUTWARDLY ANDTO URGE IT INTO CLOSING POSITION.